Parks Libraries Etc

It’s almost time to lace up those running shoes and sign up for the annual Hot Chocolate 15/5k run! This year’s yummy and fun event kicks off on Sunday, March 5th at Seattle Center How’s that for a great way to spend the first Sunday-Funday of March, both for seasoned runners and first-timers who aren’t afraid of a challenge!

The fun begins bright and early at 6:45a.m. with the 5K and the 15k starts at 7:55a.m. Race participants can expect a fun, well organized and challenging race through the heart of beautiful Downtown Seattle (hills and all!), a fabulous SWAG bag of goodies to take home, of course, delicious chocolate. Talk about motivation to finish strong!

If you’re looking for a fun way to spend your Sunday while getting a great workout, consider signing up for this once-a-year event. The challenge is worth it to get to the Post Race Party where runners will enjoy music, a family friendly environment and a ‘finisher’s mug’ filled with hot chocolate, chocolate fondue and delightfully dippable treats. Don’t count the calories, you will have more than earned this chocolate indulgence!

The Hot Chocolate Run isn’t just a great way to spend a day off. The Hot Chocolate Run is partnered with Ronald McDonald House Charities, helping to provide a home-away-from-home for children and the families of children being treated at Seattle Children’s’ Hospital, at little to no cost to the families. A portion of the proceeds from signing up for this race will go to this outstanding cause, helping to make a real difference in our community.

Not into running or chocolate? That’s fine! But be aware, this race will take place in Downtown Seattle and along many main roads and thoroughfares, so you will want to plan ahead for any travel on that day. Take a look at the map (left) to see the route and read the chart below for a street closure timeline, to help you plan your day.

This event is great to do with friends, family or even by yourself. You’ll probably leave with new friends after a little friendly competition! This event brings together people from all over the city and state, so get out there, mix, mingle and help build a wonderful feeling of community in our fair city. Sprint into Springtime at this fabulous annual event, get a good sweat on and maybe even make some new friends….oh and eat chocolate! Do we really need to sell you on this?

For more info on this event, road closures, the post-race party and more, visit the Hot Chocolate Run website here.

On Friday, March 11th at 6:00 p.m., Saint Patrick will arrive to the Emerald City via Lake Union. He will land in South Lake Union at the waterfront near the MOHAI aboard shop with the Pirates of the Emerald Isle. Around 400 A.D., St. Patrick was brought to Ireland by Irish Pirates and will now arrive to Seattle aboard a local pirate ship.

This event is free and open to the public, kids and families are encouraged to attend! Passengers can climb aboard a Ride the Ducks boat at 5:00 p.m. at FX McRory’s for the ride to South Lake Union. The boat will then return to McRory’s by 6:30 p.m. for the Green Stripe Laying on 4th Avenue. This mini-parade marks the way for the Seattle St. Patrick’s Day Parade the following day.

Looking to beat the heat—and crowds—this summer? Lake Union provides hot weather relief smack dab in the middle of the city. Whether you want to take a dip, go boating, paddle boarding, kayaking or just enjoy the sun along the shore, you can’t beat Lake Union’s proximity to Seattle’s neighborhoods.

The most popular summer spot is Lake Union Park on the southern tip, featuring a pedestrian-friendly shoreline, boat launch, the Center for Wooden Boats, MOHAI, walking paths, wonderful views, and restaurants nearby. While this is the most popular and well-known beachfront on the lake, it is definitely not the only one.

The Seattle Department of Transportation has released a great map of the city’s shoreline street ends that reveals some of Lake Union’s hidden beaches. There are many spots open to the public and worth checking out! Simply go to where these streets dead-end along the lake to find your own mini waterfront landscape:

Crockett St. – balcony with seating overlooking water

Blaine St. – patio with waterfront view

Galer St. – un-lanscaped slope of vegetation into the water

Terry Ave N (South Lake Union Park) – public dock access

Yale Ave N – landscaped area with seating

E Newton St. (Terry Petus Park) – public dock and shoreline access

E Louisa St. – landscaped waterfront area with bocce ball court

E Roanoke St. W (Roanoke St. Mini Park) – small park with seating

E Hamlin St. W – landscaped area with picnic benches and lookout spots

Come join us for the 4th of July celebration in proper American fashion at the Seafair Summer Fourth! Both Gas Works and South Lake Union parks will be FREE to the public to enjoy a day of fun in the name of our nation’s independence. Both events offer a ton of activities, great food, and excellent entertainment for everyone to enjoy. Reserved seating is available for an additional fee. As always, you can count on a phenomenal fireworks finale to set your 4th of July just right.

Concessions
All American BBQ, corn on the cobb and more will be available via our concessions stands.
Additionally, Ezell’s Famous Chicken and Maya’s Mexican Restaurant will have food trucks inside Gas Works Park.
Attendees are welcome to bring their own food and beverages. Coolers are allowed but subject to search. Please remember that personal barbecues and alcoholic beverages are not permitted during the Seafair Summer Fourth.

Concessions
All American BBQ, corn on the cobb and more will be available via our concessions stands.
Attendees are welcome to bring their own food and beverages into the park. Coolers are allowed but subject to search. Please remember that personal barbecues and alcoholic beverages are not permitted during the Seafair Summer Fourth.

Beverage Garden
A beverage garden will be available for those 21 and older (featuring Anchor Brewing, Barefoot Wine, Svedka Vodka and Casa Noble Tequila products).

From foodie events to educational and community activities, there are plenty of Lake Union events to look forward to next month! Here’s just a taste…

May 1 – First Free Thursday at MOHAI: Every month, the Museum of History and Industry in South Lake Union offers free admission on the first Thursday. The museum is open from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. MOHAI is celebrating the Sounders’ 40th anniversary for the May First Free Thursday, with lots of fun free events inside and outside the museum.

May 3 – Member Day at the Center for Wooden Boats: The Center for Wooden Boats is offering free rides, boat rentals, and more to CWB members on May 3rd from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m.

May 3 – Opening Day Parade on the Virginia V: The opening day of boating season is Saturday, May 3rd! Participate in the parade of boats by boarding the Virginia V at the Historic Ships Wharf at 806 Terry Ave N at 11 a.m. (departs at 11:30 a.m.). Tickets are $55 for V5 members, or $69 for non-members. There is a buffet lunch including BBQ beef sliders, mini hot dogs and earth burgers, mac ‘n cheese, Caesar salad, and Oreo pops. A cash bar will also be available.

May 3 – Fourth Annual Kentucky Derby Party at Re:public: For four years now, Re:public in South Lake Union has hosted a Kentucky Derby celebration. Like they’ve done in years past, Re:public will open with a complimentary brunch at 10 a.m. Then, at 11:30 a.m., buses will transport guests to Emerald Downs for the simulcast viewing of the 140th running of the Kentucky Derby. After the races, all patrons will ride back to Re:public to party with a live disc jockey, prizes for the best-dressed, a photo booth, and more. Tickets are $50 per person, and include the brunch, transportation and admission to Emerald Downs. Email rory@republicseattle.com for tickets.

May 8 – May Corks and Canvas at Pan Pacific Seattle: Paint a masterpiece while sipping and socializing in the monthly Corks and Canvas event at Pan Pacific Hotel – this month on May 8th from 6 – 9 p.m. Hosted in the Lobby Bar, participants receive instruction and all necessary supplies, plus their first glass of wine for $45 per person. Small plates and additional drinks are available for purchase. Advance registration required – click here.

May 8-11 – Vigor Maritime Festival: The Seattle Propeller Club and the Port of Seattle are bringing the Vigor Seattle Maritime Festival to South Lake Union from May 8th through 11th. There will be storytelling, education, tugboat races, tours, displays, demonstrations, and more. On the festival’s Family Fun Day, May 11th, MOHAI is screening the documentary, “Arthur Foss: Iconic Tugboat of the Northwest” from 1 – 4 p.m.

May 11 – Mother’s Day Brunch at Serafina: Chef Christian at Serafina Osteria & Enoteca on Eastlake Avenue is cooking up a special two-course menu for Mother’s Day Brunch on Sunday, May 11th from 9:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. The cost is $30 per person, plus tax and gratuity. A kids menu will also be available. Call 206-323-0807 for reservations.

May 15 – May History Café at MOHAI: In this month’s history café at MOHAI, the topic is “Being Asian in Seattle (1860-2014)”. Join the group in the MOHAI Café, grab a coffee or a glass of wine, and learn about the past and discuss it!

May 17 – Lake Union Sweep: The 12th Annual Lake Union Sweep is Saturday, May 17th. More than 250 volunteers hop into kayaks and other boats to remove trash from Lake Union, while other volunteers walk along the lakeside picking up garbage. Free picnic lunch and T-shirts are given to all volunteers after the ‘Sweep’, which is from 8 – 1 p.m. Event headquarters are at Lake Union Park.

May 17 – Cocktail Class at Serafina: Learn how to make your own cocktail infusions, tinctures, syrups and more in a cocktail class at Serafina. The “Extracting, Macerating and Infusing in the Bar” event takes place at 2 p.m. on May 17th. The class costs $75 per person, and includes instruction, cocktail tastings, and paired bites. Call 206-323-0807 to reserve your place!

May 19 – Bike Share Community Planning Workshop: Puget Sound Bike Share is hosting a community-planning workshop on May 19th at noon at the SLU Discovery Center. This workshop is designed to inform the public about the bike share program timeline, installation, functionality, operations, membership, and more.

May 26 – “From Boomtown to Bertha” with SLU Cabaret: From Skid Row to the Denny Regrade and beyond, the South Lake Union Cabaret presents their historical, humorous, and hopeful musical theater performance titled “From Boomtown to Bertha”. Performances will take place at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. in MOHAI’s Grand Atrium on Monday, May 26th.

Seattle Public Schools recently released a district wide report on state test scores and yearly improvement rates. Eighty-two schools were involved and rated from 1-5, one being low passage rates and little improvement and a 5, the contrary. Some schools received high grades, while others scores were not so impressive. Twelve schools in the district got a perfect score, but almost just as many received a 1. The Elementary Schools in the Lake Union neighborhood of Seattle include Montlake, Stevens, Lowell, John Hay, Coe, B.F. Day, and John Stanford Int’l School @Latona. According to score reports on seattleschools.org, Montlake received a 4, Stevens a 4, Lowell a 4, John Hay a 5, Coe a 5, B.F. Day a 2, and John Stanford a 4. Scores among the middle schools and high schools for the Lake Union area included: McClure Middle School-3, Tops K-8-4, Hamilton Int’l School-4, Roosevelt-4, and Garfield-4. The Lake Union neighborhood Elementary Schools had a mean score of 4, and had a similar average for their middle and high schools. In the areas who scored lower, district leaders have conferred and said that if these rankings don’t improve (in schools scored in the lower range) in the next couple of years, replacing the staff or closing schools may both be possible consequences. Schools will be provided funds to carry out improvement plans, and those with the lowest scores will get the largest dollar amounts. Among other communities whose primary schools received lower grades, residents have expressed concern over how this reflects on the education and curriculum in the community, and school representatives plan on providing them information as well as a meeting to discuss the reports. Because the data is fairly extensive, some school staffers are organizing meetings for residents to attend. Hopefully, these resulting scores will increase the emphasis put on the importance of education in our communities. More detailed reports can be seen at www.seattleschools.org.